Just a Day in March

 

It's just another day in March with a little of this and a little of that, weatherwise and news wise. 

We've got ice-over areas this morning, and lots of stuff is coated with frost. 

There's blue sky but gray clouds are coming over the mountain.  

They tell us it's going to be wet off and on for the rest of the week and maybe even a few pockets of light snow. 

So what can we say:  it's March, and the month usually offers a potpourri of weather patterns along with a few frustrations for those of us who can smell spring and want to get to work. 

I've assigned myself little preparation projects every day lately.  It took a while, but one of the projects involved emptying the barn of lawnmowers. 

Once again, as has happened before in my life, I have a fleet of mowers. 

One of the stories in my second book Postcards from Potato Land is entitled "Lawnmowers R Us." Yup, I had a fleet of push mowers over at the Great Northern farm. 

Twas in those days that I started getting to know lawnmower-repair people by their first names and even started considering them part of the family. 

One such is Tony, and, over the years that he has come to fix my mowers and other equipment, I believe he may have amassed enough experiences to write a whole book of his own about what Marianne can do to a lawnmower. 

He has seen it all and has fixed it all for me over the years. 

In his next visit, Tony will probably change some oil and check out the blades and belts of at least two mowers.  

And, then I have another project for him with the Husqvarna zero-turn mower. 

There's a metal guard under the deck that has worked itself loose, and whenever I put the deck down the guard works like a single bottom miniature plow, digging up mini trenches wherever it goes. 

That's not good for the lawn, so I'll ask Tony if he could just remove the shield.  

I doubt that he could replace it because that mower----as Tony has duly noted----has lasted me longer than any he has ever seen in my fleets over the years. Probably not too many parts available by now. 

Anyway, yesterday the entire fleet had moved from the barn to the lean-to (got the hyphen this morning, Helen) next to the shop. 

We couldn't figure out why we couldn't get the Sears Craftsman (which I use as a mini lawn tractor these days) started after charging the battery for hours on end. 

Eventually, I had an "aha" moment.  Yes, gas in the tank makes a big difference. 

So, those mowers are ready for whenever Tony wants to come and tune 'em up for spring. 

Glorious sunrise over the Cabinet Mountains this morning. 

After each mower started from its winter dormancy, I went for a spin up and down the lane. 

Can't wait for the annual Lovestead mowing program to start.  

It's my passion, and this year should be much more pleasant than ever before.  

With our newly paved road, we won't have dust, and I won't have to shed my entire wardrobe and bathe after a day of mowing.

 

This mama and baby showed up at the feeder yesterday afternoon. 

They helped themselves and then went on their way. 

Twas blackbird heaven in the service-berry bush yesterday.  

And, when you have eight or ten of this species in the bush all at once happily singing, it is truly music to your ears.  

Their variety of songs are heavenly, to say the least. 

I told them it would be quite all right with me if they keep coming back. 

I decided to post this each day this week for any other March Madness addicts who want to know when and how to watch the games. 

The day-long schedule of games across the nation begins tomorrow morning. 

Oh, our flag of County Kerry was blowin' in the wind yesterday.  A pretty sight. 

This little one has always attracted my attention while I'm driving by Elton Anderson's farm.  

Yesterday it was in the right spot for me to snap a photo. 

I call this my dirty-window bird.  

Sometimes when you shoot through the window, spots get in the way. 

And so, that's enough of a little of this and a little of that. 

Happy Wednesday.